Capitol Hill Basics

Why bother with Capitol Hill politicians?The key to working with your members of Congress is to remember that they owe their position to votes from your district and state. They are in office to represent your views, which means that members of Congress do pay attention to their constituents, and you can have an impact. Congressional offices count the letters they receive and meetings they have in favor and against various issues, and your action can have a direct effect on the outcome.

Do my letters make a difference?Frequently, the amount of communication received by an official's office on a given issue can be relatively small, so the few letters or visits that an elected official does receive can make a BIG difference in how your representative or senators vote. Because they may not hear from many people on certain issues, the voices they do hear carry more weight.

If you belong to a nongovernmental, religious, grassroots or community organization, you can build a personal connection between your organization and your congressional offices on a set of issues that can significantly advance your cause.